Saturn Will Be at Its Brightest This Week, Experts Say

Jupiter, the moon, and Saturn in NYJupiter, the moon, and Saturn in NY
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The yearly "opposition," which occurs when the Earth is between the ringed planet and the Sun will result in a brightly lit Saturn.

On August 1 and 2, Saturn will be at opposition, meaning the Earth will be located between the ringed planet and the sun, so the outer planet will be at its brightest. 

In terms of distance, Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun. It would take nine Earths to span the full diameter, sans rings, according to NASA

This only happens once a year, and Saturn's opposition is at 2 a.m. ET on August 2, or 11 p.m. PT for those on the West Coast, according to EarthSky.

"Sunday night into Monday morning much of the Midwest and portions of western California will see mostly clear skies," CNN meteorologist Haley Brink said. 

"A swath of cloudy skies will exist across the Northwest into the Rockies, across many southern states and into the Northeast."

According to the astronomy publication, living in an area that is anticipating clouds on August 1 or 2 will not diminish your chances of seeing the planet. Saturn will remain bright in the sky for the rest of the month, EarthSky said.

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